Whenever the death penalty issue has arisen, arguments are automatically sparked as the issue is highly controversial. The victims and families probably want the offenders to receive the punishment they thought they deserved, whereas some would argue that the offenders might never truly plead guilty for the crimes they have caused.

The 5th World Congress against the Death Penalty took place in Madrid, Spain, last week with over 1,500 participants from 90 countries.  Government representatives, intergovernmental organizations and civil society leaders came together to contribute to one of the biggest abolitionist movements in the world aiming for one goal – the universal abolition of the death penalty.

The 9th World Day against the Death Penalty will focus on the inhumanity of the death penalty. Since 2003, abolitionists have taken actions all over the world every 10 October to raise awareness and opposition to the death penalty. This year, to mark the World Day against the Death Penalty, hundreds of events have been organized around the globe. To see the complete program of scheduled events, visit: www.worldcoalition.org/worldday